By: The Trek News Desk
The death toll from the devastating fire at Gul Shopping Plaza in Pakistan’s Karachi has climbed to 30, while rescue teams continue searching for 73 missing people, including 16 minors. Authorities said on Wednesday (January 21, 2026) that the operation remains ongoing as families anxiously await news of their loved ones.
The fire erupted late on January 17 in the basement of the multi-storey Gul Shopping Plaza, located in the busy Saddar area. Flames rapidly engulfed the entire building, a major hub for wholesale and retail businesses. Firefighters struggled for nearly 36 hours before the blaze was finally brought under control.
Sindh Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed confirmed that two additional bodies were recovered from the debris on Wednesday morning, raising the confirmed death toll to 30. She said only 10 victims have been identified so far, as most of the bodies were severely burnt.
The Sindh provincial government has released an official list of 73 people believed to have been inside the plaza at the time of the fire. According to authorities, the missing include women, children, and adult men ranging in age from 10 to 69 years. Among them are at least 16 boys between the ages of 10 and 18, who were either working at shops or had come to the market for shopping. Ten women are also listed as missing.
Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab said the list was prepared after gathering information from affected families, shop owners, and workers employed at the plaza. He added that the traders’ association played a crucial role in compiling the data. The mayor noted that at least 20 of the recovered bodies remain unidentified and may correspond to names on the missing persons list.
Serious concerns have also emerged regarding the building’s safety standards. Senior lawyer Abid Mateen revealed that at least three legal cases related to the plaza’s structural safety and compliance with regulations were already pending in court before the fire. The building has been completely destroyed in the inferno.
According to Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s Chief Fire Officer Humayun Khan, rescue efforts to locate the missing could take another 10 to 15 days due to the extent of the damage.
Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori visited the site on Wednesday and assured affected shopkeepers of compensation. He said the government has begun discussions with builders regarding the rehabilitation of the destroyed complex.
Source: News Agencies
